Tiltable-headlamp mounting



Feb. 2,1926. '1 571,824

v F. E. WEIL-N'AND Y TILTABLE HEADLAMP MOUNTING Filed Nov. 2, 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVIENTOR VJ 4% By /*6 I Feb. 2 1926.

F. E. 'WEILAND TILTABLE: HEADLAMP MOUNTING Filed Nov. 2. 1923 3 Sheets heet -2 A TTORNEY Filed Nov' 2, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR TTORNE Y Patented Feb. 2, 1926.

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FRANK n. WEILA-NID, or roar retirees; FLORIDA, AS'SIGNOR or ONE-HAZE TO RICHARD L. I-IEVERLE, or FORT MYERS. FLORIDA.

TiLTABLE-HEADLAMP MOUNTING.

Application filed November To ail/ 07mm it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, FRANK E. \VEILANI), a citizen of the United States, residing. at Fort Myers, in the county of Lee'and' State of Florida, have invented new and useful Improvements in Tilta ble-HeadlampMountings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to headlamps for 1 motor vehicles, particularly to the mount-- ings therefor, and has forits object the provision of an arrangementby means of which the lamps may be tilted to throw their light downwardly upon the ground when approaching other cars in order to avoid blinding, dazzling or bewildering other drivers, the intention being to maintain the lamps in a'normall'y upright positionso that the maximum illumination may be had on a clear road.

Most communities have regulations prohibiting the use of glaring headlights and to overcome this, various dimming devices have been designed and usedfor the purpose of preventing the rays from the lamps from passing above acertain level. Shutters, light diffusing devices, bulb shields and other expedients have been resorted to in the endeavor to eliminate the objectionable and dangerous glare but all of these attempts are only partly successful inasmuch as the light is absorbed to such a great extent'that adequate illumination ofthe roadway is impossible. Especially when traveling at high speeds, it is imperative-that a car be equipped with lamps which will throw a beam of light a long distance ahead and the well known existing dimmingdevices fail to permit this to a sufiicient extent to render night driving safe.

It is with the above facts in view that I have designed the present arrangement in which the lamps are'tilt ably mounted and operated by a slight push or pull upon a control element located within convenient reach of the driverso'that the inclination of the lamps, either forwardly to effect dimming orwhen going down hill, or upwardly and rearw'ardly as when approachinga hill;

may be effected.

An important object is the provision ofa mounting arrangement which in one embodi- 2, 1923." Serial no. 672,356.

ing standards,andwhich in other embodiments includes the provision of a complete or unitary structure capable of being mounted in suitable brackets or bearings, the latter mentioned form being particularly designed for installation as new equipment.

Another object is the provision of an ad-' justable friction bearing structure for supporting the rotatable element which car ries the lamps so that suiiicient frictional resistance may be opposed to the turn-inc; movement to permit the'lamps to remain in any desired adjusted position without necessitating the employment of any latches or other fastening means.

An additional object is the provision of a structure of this character which will be simple and inexpensive in manufacture,

easy to install and operate, positive in action, efficient and'durable in service and a general improvement in the art.

l/Vith the above and other objects and advantages in view the invention consists in the details of construction to be hereinafter more fully-described and claimed and illus trated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of an automobile equipped with my invention,

Figure 2 is a side elevation showing the normal position of the headlamps by full lines and the possible til-ted positions by dotted lines.

Figure 3 is a front elevation showing a modification,

Figure 4f is a front elevation of still another form of mounting,

Figure 5 is a cross section on the line 5--5 of Figure 4,

Figure 6 is a detail section on the line 66 of Figure 4,

Figure 7 is an elevation showing another type of supporting bracket.

Figure 8 is a detail section on the line S8 of Figure 7,

Figure 9 is a side elevation of still a different "bearing bracket,

Figure 10 is a similar view disclosingan other variation,

Figi'ire 11 is a detail view of the lamp carryi-ng-rod used in the form of the device shown in Figure 1,

Figure 12 is a front elevation of an automobile equipped with my lamp arrangeconstruestructure, Iii--13 of mountii'ig ment and mounting showing the tion of the invention as a unitary Figure 13 is a view on the line Figure 12 showing a plan of the and Figure 14 is a plan view showing still a di tl'ercnt mounting.

Referring more particularly to the drawings and especially Figures 1., 2 and 11, the letter A designates a portion of the body of an automobile mounted upon the usual frame 13 to which are secured the innermost portions or aprons C of the fenders D. The letter E represents the headlamps which are of the type commonly provided with a dmvinvardly extending; post F which is ordinarily mounted in a socket in a suitable bracket carried either upon the frame, the fender itself or upon the fender stay rod. The usual mounting is not disclosed as it forms no part of the present device.

In carrying out my invention and particularly this form thereof. I provide a pair of angular brackets 15 which are here shown as formed with attachingfeet 16, riveted or otherwise secured to the fender aprons U. The upper ends of these brackets are provided with bearing members 17 having cooperating therewith caps 18 which mate therewith and which detine bearings within which is rotatably mounted a rod 19 extending transversely of the "car in ad "ance of the radiator. Bolts .20 are provided for adjusting the bearings so as to regulate their frictional grip upon the rod 19 so to permit the rod to turn while preventing it from turning too freely. At its ends, the rod 19 is widened as indicated at 21 and formed with a hole 22 and from this point to the end there is a slit or slot 23 traversed by a, clamping bolt A. The lamp standards or posts F are passed through the holes 22 and secured by tightening the bolts it. It is to be noted that it is a simple matter to adjust the lamps so that they will be exactly parallel or so that they may toe in slightly as may be found advisable in some instances. Furthermore there is a possibility of adjusting the lamps vertically to a certain extent if such is desired.

The operating mians consists of an arm 25 which terminates in a clamp 26 engaged upon the rod 19, and havingpivotally connected with its other end, as shown at- 27, the forked forward end 28 of a rod 29 which extends rearwardly through the radiator shell (3, beneath the hood and through the instrument board or dash of the car. The rear end of this rod carries a knob or other handle 30 which is within convenient reach of the operator and which may be readily grasped and pulled or pushed as the case may be to etl ect rocking of the rod 19 and consequent tilting of the lamps.

In Figure I have shown a somewhat different arrangement in which the lamps E are equipped with posts 231 provided with clamp bearings 32 engaged upon a rigid rod 33 which is secured to the fender aprons C as by means of attaching feet an. The lamps themselves are connected by a transverse rod which carries a rigid arm 36 adapted to have the above described rod 29 connected therewith. In this form the lamps rock or tilt upon the rod 33, too free movement being prevented by properly adj Listing the bearings 32 'warricd by the lamp posts or standards.

In liieurcs l. 5 and (3 I have illustrated another moditication in which I provide bearings secured to the z pron fenders U for supporting a rotatable rod 37 carrying an arm 38 corresponding to the arm 25 of the first described form. The lamps E have their posts or standards 39 equipped with clamps ll) engaged upon the rod 37 so as to be immovable with respect thereto. In this in stance I have shown the friction bearings as including base portions il secured to the fender aprons and formed with integral split sleeves receiving the ends of the rod 37, the sleeves being provided at the edges of the split with cars all through which extends a clamping, bolt or for the purpose of contracting the sleeves to the proper extent for permitting the rod 37 to turn without it: having too free movement.

In Figures 7 and 8 I have shown another variation in which I have provided a bracket -lti having an attaching portion e116 adalfited to be secured to the fender apron (.1, the bracket having a construction similar to the post receiving; end of the rod 19 disclosed in Figure ll. In other words the bracket 45 is formed with a. hole through which passes a stem st? carrying a "friction bearing el-.8 for the transverse rod ll-i) which corresponds to the rods 19 and 37 above described. The bracket :lfi must have its end portion split or slit so as to be contracted about the stem by tightening: a suitable bolt 50.

l ie'ure it shows an alternative bracket coin struction which may he used to replace the bracket l5 shown in l in'ures l and ii. In this instance the bracket Si is of elongated shape and n'ovided at its bottom with an attaching foot or portion riveted or otherwise secured to the frame bar ii of the vehicle chassis, the upper end o f the bracket having a bearing member or portion 53 with which is associated a mating cap ti l adjustable by means of bolts :35 or the like.

In Figure 10 I have illustrated still another mormtinn in which use is made of an angular bracket arm 56 which extends through the frame bar 13 and which is provided with an outstanding flange 5T resting upon the top thereof and equipped at its lower end with a. clamping; nut 58. The upper end of the bracket arm 56 carries a seat or bearing portion 59 with which co-operates a mating cap 60 adjusted by bolts 61.

In each and every instance, I find it of advantage to provide a short visor 62 which is suitably mounted at the upper portion of the lamp and which projects forwardly therefrom so that under ordinary conditions the rays of light emitted from the lamps are checked in an upward direction and so that when the lamps are tilted even slightly the light will be thrown properly down on to the roadway. However the visors need not be provided as the operation is quite effective even without them. In all of the forms above described the operation is substantially the same and it is to be noted that the various alternative forms of brackets and bearings are intended as replacement parts to'be used instead of the ordinary equipment on the car.

In Figures 12 and 13 I have illustrated a construction in which my device is made as a unitary structure adapted tobe built into new cars at the time of their manufacture or assembling. In this form I have shown lamps H ofthe drum type. These lamps are connected by a. transverse rod 63 and are equipped at their outer-most sides with trunnions 64. An operating arm 65 corresponding to the previously described arm 25 is clamped onto the rod 63. I also provide a. peculiar bearing structure which includes a saddle or socket member 66 for each trunnion 64, which saddle or socket member is formed integrally upon an attaching base 67 constructed and designed to be secured to the fender apron C or a fender stay rod in case one is provided. Coacting with each socket or saddle member is a cap 67 mating therewith to form a proper bearing and held in adjusted position by bolts 68 or the like. In assembling this form, the socket or saddle members are secured upon the fenders, or their stay rods and the assembled lamps placed in position by engaging the t-rnnnions 64 upon these saddles or sockets, after which it is merely necessary to apply the caps 67 and tighten the bolts 68 for holding the trunnions in such a way as to permit movement while preventing too free rocking.

In Figure 1-l I have shown lamps I provided centrally of their rear sides with threaded posts 69 which pass through holes in a transverse rod 70 mounted in any preferred bearings hereinbefore described. The lamps are held rigidly upon the rod by nuts 71 screwed onto the threaded members 69.

From the foregoing description and a study of the drawings it will be apparent that I have thus provided a simply constructed, inexpensive and easily installed headlamp mounting which permits tilting of the lamps in a very easy and convenient manner so that they may be shifted into such position as to eliminate the objectionable and illegal glare, while at the same time enabling the driver to use the lamps in their full illuminating position in case of necessity. It is to be observed that a wide variety of bearing brackets may be used depending upon the make of the car to be equipped with my arrangement. A distinct feature of advantage is the adjustable friction hearing which may be set so as to op- 'pose the proper degree of resistance to turning movement of the rod'journaled therein so that the lamps carried by the rod will be maintained in any adjusted position without any necessity whatever for the employment of catches or other holding means.

Vhile I have shown and described the preferred embodiments of my invention it is of course to be understood that I reserve the right to make such changes in the form, construction and arrangement of parts as will not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claim.

Having thus described my invent-ion I claim: 7

In a dirigible headlight mechanism for vehicles. bracket members having plate portions secured to the inner sides of the front FRANK E. IVEILAND. 

